Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SUNDAY, February 27, 1994 TAG: 9402240140
SECTION: EXTRA PAGE: 4 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Karen Davis
DATELINE: LENGTH: Long
Relax! Your new bundle of joy isn't likely to bring out the beast in your pet as long as you observe some common-sense precautions.
Before the baby arrives, allow your pet to visit the nursery and become accustomed to the new paraphernalia. If you declare the room off-limits from the start, your pet may later find it irresistible to sneak in and investigate the forbidden area.
When the baby comes home from the hospital, allow the pet time to get used to the new smells and sounds. Wait until the initial excitement wears off before letting the pet see the baby the first time.
Allow the first few introductions to take place over several days and at a distance of several feet, with one parent holding the baby and the other holding the dog on a leash. When you are comfortable with the dog's reaction toward the baby, let him sniff the child up close.
Remember that a new baby in the house is going to change your pet's life as well as your own. With more of your attention directed toward the infant, the pet may feel deprived of his usual amount of affection. And since attracting negative attention is better than being ignored, the pet may begin to act up and display undesirable behaviors. To make your pet feel more secure, alter his daily routine as little as possible and spend some extra time with him.
Although most dogs adjust easily and without incident to a new baby, any dog with a history of aggression merits caution. Dogs that respond aggressively when startled from sleep or while eating or playing with a favorite toy always require close supervision around children.
By nature, dogs are pack animals. Experts believe dogs view their human family as pack members. Therefore, a newborn baby is likely to be perceived and accepted by a dog as a pack offspring. Some dogs even will behave as though they are protecting the new offspring from strangers or visitors.
Occasionally, a problem may arise when an untrained "alpha" dog fails to perceive a human child as a dominant pack member. An alpha animal is the more aggressive, dominant individual in a group, and in the wild, often becomes a pack leader. An alpha male or female is not necessarily mean or vicious; it is simply top dog, so to speak, and is more self-assertive, in typical canine fashion, around its perceived subordinate pack members.
Such behavior, however, when dog and owner battle for control, is not acceptable in human families and usually can be changed through training. Consistent obedience training is a humane and reliable way to teach an alpha dog - or any dog, large or small - that all humans are the boss.
If you are unsure how your dog will behave around a baby, ask a trainer or animal behaviorist for an assessment. Enroll the dog in an obedience class six months or so before the baby is born. Practice the commands until you feel the dog is reliably trained and controllable. Later, you can put the dog in a sit/stay or down/stay command in the child's presence. Reward the dog when he obeys, and he will associate pleasant experiences with the baby.
Do not allow pets to have unsupervised access to the baby for some time. Screams, cries or jerky movements made by the infant could frighten a pet or elicit a play-leap response, resulting in accidental scratching or biting. If necessary, install a gate or screen door at the nursery entrance.
Keep a tight lid on the diaper pail so the dog can't get into it. The smells, no doubt, will attract him.
Sometimes a cat may urinate on the baby's bedding or other items, "marking" them as part of its territory. Spaying and neutering tend to make cats less territorial.
Also, to keep cats out of the cradle, consider buying a mesh crib tent. Baby supply stores sell these as well as cat nets that cover playpens and strollers.
Trim your pet's claws regularly to reduce accidental scratches. And keep your pet in good health and free of parasites to reduce any risk of disease transmission to your child.
Toxoplasmosis deserves a mention here, because it is another one of those scary reasons well-meaning people bring up to convince mothers-to-be that their cats must go before the baby comes. Before you do anything so drastic, get the facts first from your obstetrician and veterinarian. Tests are available to detect the disease.
Toxoplasmosis is caused by a protozoan. If a pregnant woman is exposed to it, birth defects can occur. Cats get the disease by eating infected birds, rodents or raw meat, then shed the eggs in their feces. Humans get it by eating raw or undercooked meat and by handling the feces of an infected cat.
If your cat never goes outdoors and never eats anything except pre-packaged pet food, you probably have little to worry about. Otherwise, to avoid exposure, cook meat thoroughly (yours and your cat's), wear disposable gloves when cleaning out the cat litter box and disinfect the box regularly with boiling water or ammonia solution.
As a general health precaution, keep indoor litter boxes and pet feeding bowls out of a crawling child's range. And cover children's sandboxes when not in use, so that free-roaming cats won't mistake them for giant, outdoor litter boxes.
Finally, remember that an animal frightened or annoyed by a child's unintentional roughness may defend itself by scratching or biting. Therefore, as your child grows, it is up to you, as the parent, to teach him that pets are not animated toys. If the child pulls on a pet's tail or ears, remove his hand and show him how to gently stroke the animal's fur.
by CNB